The Souls Exaltation, Title page
THE SOVLES BENEFIT FROM VNION WITH CHRIST.
By T. H.
LONDON, Printed by Iohn Haviland, for Andrew Crooke, and are to be ſold at the Black Beare in S. Pauls Church-yard. 1638.
THE SOVLES BENEFIT from Vnion with CHRIST.
1 CORIN. 1.30.
But of him are yee in Chriſt Jeſus, who is made unto us wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption.
HOw the ſoule of a ſinner ſhould be prepared for our Saviour, and how alſo it ſhould bee implanted into him, being called by the Spirit of God in vocation, wee have heretofore fully and largely diſcuſſed and concluded that point: then wee came to the ſecond thing, which is the ſecond part of this implanting or ingrafting a ſinner into the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and it is the growing to of a ſinner with our Saviour, and that is accompliſhed and fully brought about by two workes: there are two parts of it, for it is not enough for the graft to be put into the ſtock, but it muſt grow together with it, if ever there be any conveyance of any ſap, or any helpe and ſtrength, which it may receive from the ſame: ſo it is with the beleeving ſoule, faith doth not onelyonly bring us unto Chriſt, but it makes us grow together with Chriſt: and this growing is diſcovered in two particulars;
The firſt is a ſpirituall union of the ſoule with our Saviour, when the ſoule comes to be united to, and made one with the Lord of life; that wee have alſo handled and concluded in the two laſt lectures.
Againe, the ſecond part that accompliſheth and makes up this growing together with Chriſt, it is that heavenly communion that the ſoule doth get with our Saviour, when the ſtock of the merits of our Saviour, and the vertue of his grace is communicated to the ſoule; for this we muſt remember, that theſe two things make up the growing of the ſtock and the graft together:
Firſt, there muſt be an union of the graft with the ſtock.
Secondly, there muſt be an intercourſe or a communication of the ſap in the ſtock to the graft: ſo it is with Chriſt, what ever he hath, he hath for his Church and people, and what ever he doth, he doth for his Church and ſervants; ſo that there is a kinde of conveyance of the vertue of his merits, and power of his grace, unto the ſoules of thoſe that beleeve in him, and are knit unto him by a true and a lively faith: wee have done with the … that the ſoule hath with Chriſt: we are now to ſpeake of the heavenly and ſpirituall communion, the intercourſe betweene the Lord and the ſoule, when the ſoule is married unto him; and this is that wee aime at, this is that wee looke at at this time; and this I muſt tell you by the way, that our purpoſe is not to meddle with the particulars at this time, but onelyonly with the generall nature of the communion of the ſoule with Chriſt: now for the diſcovery of this worke, wee have choſen the words of the text now read unto you, and the ſcope of the words it is mainly this; to diſcover unto us the dowrie and feofment of all that ſpirituall grace that is conveyed and made ſure to the beleeving ſoule, being made one with the Lord Jeſus: that looke as it is with a man that hath a faire eſtate to himſelfe, it is only his owne, but when the wife is wooed, and brought home, & married, he gives over the right of himſelfe unto her, and if hee make over his eſtate unto her, ſhee hath title thereunto: this now is the dowry of a Chriſtian, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is no bad match, you muſt not thinke you could have done better; it is a wonder, that ever our Saviour would take us to himſelfe, or ſhew favour to us, but the caſe is cleare, if a beleever be called, and brought home to Chriſt, Chriſt is made to us wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption; Chriſt hath all, and whatſoever Chriſt hath, it is all yours, you have title thereunto, and ſhall receive ſap and benefit therefrom, if you have hearts to take that good God offers, and you may receive: wee will not now meddle with the ſeverals in the verſe, but theſe two things muſt be ſpecially attended to in the words, that we may make way for our ſelves in the point we have to trade withall;
Firſt, take notice of the compaſſe of that happineſſe and ſpirituall grace which God vouchſafeth unto his, and it is ranged into foure heads: the text ſaith, Chriſt is made unto us wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption; all that Chriſt hath or can communicate, all that the beleeving ſoule can deſire or want, may be referred to theſe foure:
Firſt, Wiſdome, that is, the declaration of the way of God, and eternall happineſſe, in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which all the policie of all cunning men, and all ſubtill pates in the world could never pry into, that wiſdome which revealed the ſecret things, and the deepe things of God; the Lord Jeſus is made that wiſdome to the beleeving ſoule.
Secondly, Chriſt is made unto us righteouſneſſe, that is, whatſoever guilt lieth upon us, whatſoever ſinne hath beene committed by us, what ever puniſhment wee have deſerved, Chriſt is made unto us righteouſneſſe, to acquit us of all.
Thirdly, Chriſt is made unto us ſanctification; the ſoule of a poore ſinner is defiled with many corruptions, and polluted with many diſtempers, now Chriſt is made unto him ſanctification, to purge and purifie him from all thoſe ſinnes and diſtempers.
Laſtly, becauſe while we wander up and downe this vale of teares, and in this pilgrimage of ours, wee ſhall bee oppreſſed with many evils, that will lye upon us, and death it ſelfe, which is the laſt enemy, will ſeize upon us, and captivate our bodies in the grave, therefore Chriſt is made unto us redemption, he will take away all trouble, and wipe all teares from our eyes, nay, hee will breake open the grave, and deliver his Saints from thence. The Heathen to make the Saints of God ſure in time of perſecution, they firſt ſlew them, and then they burnt their bodies to aſhes, and then threw them into the water, and then they ſaid, Let us now ſee how they will riſe againe; alas, poore creatures, why, the Lord loves the very duſt, the very aſhes of his Saints in the grave, and the Lord will redeeme our bodies from the grave, and our names from diſhonour, and our lives from trouble, and our ſoules from ſinne, and will ſet us free from all miſeries and inconveniences at the great day of account; theſe are the foure things, wherein the dowry and feofment of a beleeving ſoule conſiſts: I will not now trade in the particulars, but only in the generall, and ſhew how that every beleeving ſoule, that reſts upon Chriſt by faith, hath an intereſt in theſe.
The ſecond thing conſiderable is this, to whom all theſe things belong, and the text tels us, Christ is made all this to us; and the truth is, it is made over to all beleevers, there is not one man exempted, not one man excluded, every beleeving creature hath a part and portion herein: however the holy Apoſtle crowds in for a ſhare, and if wee looke into the 26, 27, 28. verſes, wee ſhall ſee to whom this belongs, Ye know your calling, brethren, how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mightie, not many noble are called, but God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe, and God hath choſen the weake things of the world, to confound the things that are mightie; why then to you fooles, why then to you weake things, Christ is made wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption; to you poore ones, to you weake ones Chriſt is made all this; nay, looke into the 28. verſe, God hath choſen the baſe things of the world, and the things that are deſpiſed; nay, and the things that are not, to bring to nought the things that are; that is to ſay, the off-ſcouring of the world, the ſcrapings, as I may ſo ſay: looke as a man flings away the ſcrapings of things as nothing worth, why ſo the parings of the world, you that are nothing in the eſteeme of the world, a company of poore baſe ſimplicians; Chriſt is made wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption to them; in a word then bee it knowne to every beleeving creature, though he have not a ſtrong faith, yet if he have but a true faith, to you Chriſt is made all that merciemercy and grace, that the word diſcovers, and the Lord hath purchaſed, and you need.
Now adde the laſt thing, the text ſaith, Christ is made all this; the meaning is, Chriſt is appointed, and ſet apart, and fitted by God the Father to this purpoſe, to be wiſdome and righteouſneſſe, and to the poore, and the baſe, and deſpiſed, and to the things that are not, God hath ſet him apart to this purpoſe; as for the wiſe, and honourable, and mighty, they muſt ſhift for themſelves, and truſt to their owne ſtrength and ſufficiencie; but you that are poore and baſe, you that beleeve in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hee is made unto you, all that the ſoule can want, or the heart deſire; ſo that now then we have done with the meaning of the words, and the opening thereof, ſo farre as ſerveth our purpoſe, intending only to trade in the generall, concerning the communion of the graft with the ſtock; wee have ſhewed you, how the ſoule is made one with the Lord Jeſus, and how the ſoule is contracted to Chriſt; and now wee ſhall come to ſhew the feofment that God hath promiſed, and wee ſhall receive at his Majeſties hand.
Doctrine. The doctrine is, that there is a conveyance of all ſpirituall grace, from Chriſt, to all thoſe that beleeve in him, I doubt not, but every man would be content, if he had a faire eſtate, to ſee his evidences, and every woman that matcheth with a man, would ſee what ſhe might hold her ſelfe to; what if the man dye? and what if his meanes decay, what will hee eſtate her in? now ſee your dowrie, and the point is this, that there is a conveyance of all ſpirituall grace from Chriſt to all faithfull beleevers in the world; well then, you ſee the point; we will adde a little by way of confirmation, and you ſhall ſee the conſent of the Scriptures, how they agree together herein, and we will adde ſomewhat alſo by way of explication, to unfold the nature thereof, that wee may ſee what theſe invaluable treaſures are: for the proofe of the point, one or two places will be ſufficient to caſt the caſe; Epheſ. 1.3. there Paul bleſſeth God in Jeſus Chriſt, that hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt; ſo that there are bleſſings of three ſorts, all bleſſings, all ſpirituall bleſſings, all ſpirituall bleſſings in heavenly places, and all given freely, but it is in Chriſt, hee is the conduit that conveyeth this, and wherein the ſtreames of life and grace flow amaine, to make glad the city of God, to make glad the Saints of God, and the ſoules of thoſe that beleeve in him; hence (it is remarkable Iude 2.) it is called, Common ſalvation by Christ; and ſo Chriſt is ſaid to be a common Saviour conſequently, not common to all the world, that every beaſt may brouſe upon him, and ſinne, and have a Saviour to ſave him, but he is common to all the faithfull, common to all beleevers: that looke as it is in a common or forreſt, every dweller, and every inhabitant upon the common hath a ſhare therein, no man can challenge any part of the common peculiar to himſelfe, and ſay, This part is mine, and no man ſhall put any cattell here but I, but the common is every mans that dwels thereupon, and the pooreſt man may put on his cattell without controll, and drive his cattell whither he liſt, on to the beſt part thereof, and improve it to his beſt benefit, without contradiction: ſo Chriſt is a common Saviour, and the richeſt mercies, and the preciouſeſt promiſes, and the greateſt grace and ſalvation that is in Chriſt Ieſus, every poore beleeving ſoule, thou art a commoner, and a borderer, and it is a common ſalvation, there is a fountaine ſet open for Iudah and Ieruſalem to waſh in, thou maiſt take any, and receive benefit from the greateſt and preciouſeſt promiſes that the word reveales, or thou ſtandeſt in need of; 1 Pet. 1.3. hee then ſaith, that God through his divine power hath given unto us all things belonging to life and godlineſſe, through the acknowledgement of him that hath called us to glory and vertue, what ever it is a man would have or can need, belonging to life or godlineſſe, hee hath given unto us all things through the acknowledgement of him that hath called us to glory and vertue; if thou canſt reſt upon Chriſt in beleeving, then God will give unto thee all things through Chriſt, belonging to life and godlineſſe; ſo then we have the proofe of the point, by the joynt conſent of ſeverall Scriptures: now wee will adde a word or two by way of explication, that we may ſee the value of this dowry, that God hath promiſed, and will beſtow upon thoſe that love and feare his name: now for the explication of the point, wee will doe theſe two things;
Firſt, we will ſhew you the tenure of this covenant, and how Chriſt conveyeth theſe ſpirituall graces unto us.
Secondly, the reaſon why Chriſt is made ſo unto us, and why he will communicate thus unto us.
We will firſt begin with the former, wherein lieth the marrow and pith of the point: we have ſaid, that all bleſſings belonging to life and godlineſſe, the common ſalvation of Chriſt, belongs to all beleevers, but how ſhall wee perceive this? how is this conveyed to thoſe that beleeve in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? now the tenure of this conveyance diſcovers it ſelfe in ſeverall particulars, there are five or ſix of them in number:
The firſt is this, there is fully enough in the Lord Jeſus for every faithfull ſoule, that whatever grace, or whatever merciemercy hee ſhall ſtand in need of or want, there is no ſcarcity, there is no kinde of ſcantneſſe in the Lord Chriſt this way; in all other graces in this world, in all temporall things, when any eſtate is to be imparted, it is but in ſome particulars, either money muſt bee paid ſuch a day, or land muſt be poſſeſſed when ſuch a partie dies, but there was never any man could make ſuch tenure, as if a man ſhould make a feofment to his wife, of long life, and peace, and grace, and ſalvation, it is in no mans power to doe this; ſome men have a great deale of good things in this world, and many have little beſides; and againe, all men have not an all-ſufficiencie to ſupply and ſuccour a man according to all his neceſſities; but here is the excellencie of this dowry, that whatever it is the ſoule wants or ſtands in need of, the Lord hath it in himſelfe, and will communicate it to the ſoule for his good; Coloſ. 2.3. this is that the Apoſtle implies, In whom, ſaith he, are all the treaſures of wiſdome and holineſſe; and marke the value and worth of the phraſe; hee doth not ſay, great ſu…mes of holineſſe, and wiſdome, and merciemercy, and the like, but the treaſures, and not ſome treaſures, but all: the richeſt men in the world, that have the greateſt eſtates and treaſures, one mans eſtate lieth in lands, another mans lieth in goods, another mans lieth in money, but no man hath all treaſures, but in Chriſt are all the treaſures of all mercy, and all compaſſion, of all grace and ſalvation, whatever is needfull for us, and may be beneficiall to thoſe that beleeve in him, and reſt upon him by a true and a lively faith; and however the ſoule may thinke this treaſure may be ſpent, and this fountaine of mercy, and compaſſion drawne dry, and can my ſinnes be pardoned? and my corruptions ſubdued? Chriſt doth prevent this alſo; we may ſpend what we will, there is ſtill enough to ſpend upon; Epheſ. 3.8. There are inſearchable riches in Christ; as who ſhould ſay, Thou knoweſt no end, thou findeſt no bottome of the vileneſſe of thy heart, that doth pollute thee and defile thee, why there is no end of the riches of Chriſt, no bottome of the Ocean ſea of Gods mercy, that may comfort thee and releeve thee upon all occaſions; Iohn 3.34. the text ſaith, Christ received the Spirit above meaſure, as if Chriſt would prevent the cavils of a poore creature, and pluck up a diſcouraged heart; when the ſinner thinks, my ſinnes are out of meaſure ſinfull, and my heart is out of meaſure hard; why thinke and remember, that in Chriſt there is mercy out of meaſure mercifull, and grace out of meaſure powerfull, there thou ſhalt ſee bloudy Manaſſes, idolatrous Manaſſes, abominable Manaſſes, in the Lord Jeſus he hath received the pardon of all his ſinnes, and yet there is pardon enough for thee too: there thou ſhalt ſee Paul a perſecutor, and the bloudy jaylor; there is that power in the Lord Ieſus, that cruſhed the pride of the heart of Paul, and that brake the heart of the bloudy jaylor, that ſtood it out a long time, the earth ſhooke, and the priſon ſhooke, and the doores flew open, hee ſtood ſtill all this while, at laſt the Lord made him ſhake and all, as well as the earth; why, and yet there is power enough for thee too; in Chriſt there is fulneſſe without meaſure, take you may what you will, there is enough ſtill for all; Epheſ. 1 laſt verſe, the text ſaith, that Chriſt is the head of all his church, and the church is his body, and what followeth? even The fulneſſe of him that filleth all in all things, that is, he fils all his ſervants with all that grace, and merciemercy, and compaſſion they need, ſo that there is a fulneſſe in the Lord Jeſus, and there is enough to ſupply all the wants of a beleeving creature, and to releeve him in regard of all thoſe neceſſities, that lye upon him; that is the firſt.
Secondly, as there is enough in Chriſt to ſupply all the wants of his Saints, ſo in the ſecond place Chriſt doth ſupply unto them whatever is fitting for them, there is enough for every Saint of God, and the Lord doth ſupply whatever is moſt fit for every man, whatever is moſt proportionable to the need of a poore ſoule, and to the place and condition wherein God hath ſet him; this is the limits of Gods bounty, whatever may ſupply my need or fit my place, that God hath ſee me in and called me to, that God ſupplies and gives ſufficient grace and merciemercy, anſ…erable thereunto; I will open the point at large, becauſe it is ſomewhat difficult; looke as it is with a wiſe father that hath a faire eſtate, and hath enough for his children, and thoſe that depend upon him, and is willing alſo to beſtow abundantly upon them according to their occaſions; this is the wiſdome of a wiſe father, he will ſtock his childe according to the calling wherein he is; ſo many hundreds will doe no more than ſerve one man in that place whereunto hee is called, whereas ſo many ſcores haply will ſerve another man; if one man hath leſſe, hee cannot trade; if another man hath more, hee cannot uſe it, hee hath more ſtock than he can employ; the merchant that ventures farre, hath great employments, many thouſands will ſcarce furniſh him: but a poore man, as a weaver, or a ſhoomaker, or the like, many thouſands are more than hee can uſe in his trade: againe, the wiſe father conſiders, if the childe bee a ſpend-thrift and in debt, there is more required to ſet up him, than him that is but now going into the world, or haply aforehand: ſo Chriſt as a wiſe father deals with his faithfull ſervants, there are many of Gods faithfull ſervants, which are advanced, ſome to greater places in the Church, ſome in the commonwealth, ſome godly Magiſtrates, and religious Miniſters; now there is a great deale of wiſdome required for a Magiſtrate that ſtands in the face of the world, and in the mouth of the canon, to accompliſh great things for the glory of God, and the good of his Church; ſo a Miniſter, a little grace which is ſufficient to ſave a mans ſoule, is not enough for him to trade withall; ſome againe are leaders and commanders, as maſters of families; ſome againe are able Chriſtians, which are fit to bee helpfull unto others; againe, ſome are caſt behinde hand in a Chriſtian courſe, who, before God opened their eyes, and diſcovered their ſinnes, and brought them home, they lived a riotous courſe, thoſe old arrerages of pride and looſneſſe many yeares together, a man is wonderfull in debt in this manner; now to bring home ſuch a ſinner, and to pardon ſuch a ſinner, and to ſanctifie ſuch a ſoule, there is a great deale of mercy required, and a great deale of grace required, there are many proud-hearted, and many ſtout-hearted, as Beelzebub himſelfe, that take up armes againſt God himſelfe, and ſtand in defiance againſt the Lord of hoſts: now anſwerable to their conditions and corruptions, anſwerable to their debts and baſe courſes, when God will bring ſuch a creature home unto himſelfe, hee hath anſwerably ſtrange blowes for him; as it is ſaid of Nebuchadnezer, the Lord humbled him mightily; ſo when the Lord comes to meet with an old looſe adulterer, and an old baſe drunkard, and a ſturdy perſecutor as Paul was, an ordinary ſtroke will not doe the worke, therefore as he had a great deale of mercy for Paul, ſo hee had a great deale to doe before hee could humble Paul, hee flung him off his horſe, as he was poſting to Damaſcus, and might have broken his neck: againe, men ſometimes are driven to great trials and ſtraights, as when God cals men to great trials and ſufferings; now God doth apply to every man, according to his eſtate and condition; he that God hath ſet as a commander in his Church, as a Miniſter to teach, and a Magiſtrate to rule, and a maſter of a family, Gods fits graces unto them, according to their eſtates, the Lord takes meaſure of a mans eſtate as it were, and ſuits him proportionably with all graces neceſſary for his condition: againe, they that are meaner and poorer, they ſhall have wiſdome, and ſanctification, and redemption, but anſwerable to their conditions; that is obſervable, Epheſ. 4.16. Paul there calling our Saviour Chriſt the head of the Church, and his faithfull ſervants the members of this head, hee ſaith, By whom all the members being knit together, according to their effectuall working in their meaſure they receive increaſe; as for example, in the body ſo much life and ſpirit, as belongs to the finger is in the finger, but there is more in the arme than in the finger, and more in the bulk of the body than in the arme, that which ſuits with ſuch a part, it hath it, and that which ſuits with ſuch a part, nature beſtowes it, there is not ſo much in the finger, as in the hand, nor ſo much in the hand, as in the arme, nor ſo much in the arme, as in the body, becauſe it is not ſutable and proportionable; nature will not doe it, God will not ſuffer it: ſo ſome Chriſtians are armes in the body of the Church, ſome fingers, ſome legs; ſome are ſtrong Chriſtians, that beare up a great weight in profeſſion, ſtout, and ſtrong, and reſolute, and the like: now the Lord communicates all grace and mercy ſutable for every mans place and condition; thou that art a finger, ſhalt have ſo much grace as befits a finger; and thou that art an hand, thou ſhalt have ſo much grace as ſhall ſave thee, and is fit for thy place; but another is an arme, and hee ſhall have more, but all ſhall have that which is fitting; therefore the text ſaith, Christ is made unto us wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption; that looke as a man that makes a garment, hee takes meaſure of the man for whom he makes it, and fits every part according to the part of the body, the arme of the doublet is ſutable to the arme of the body, and ſo Chriſt is made righteouſneſſe and ſanctification to all poore beleeving creatures; thou art an arme in the body of Chriſt, hee is made ſo much wiſdome and ſanctification to thee, as will ſerve thy turne; thou haſt had a great many ſinnes, and haſt beene a rioter and a roiſter before God opened thine eyes, and brought thee home to himſelfe: why, there is great mercy in Chriſt ſutable to thy ſinnes, there is mercy in Chriſt to juſtifie thee, if thou haſt never ſo few ſinnes, and there is mercy enough in Chriſt to juſtifie the greateſt ſinner, if hee can but beleeve in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and this is the ſecond paſſage in this article of agreement, in the tenure of the conveyance of grace from Chriſt to the ſoule: the Lord hath enough for all, and he doth communicate what is fit and proportionable to every mans eſtate and condition.
The third thing is this, as the Lord doth communicate what is fit, ſo he doth preſerve what hee doth beſtow and communicate, and give to the beleeving ſoule; hee doth not give grace to the beleeving ſoule, and there leave him, and let him manage his eſtate, but when hee hath wrought grace in the ſoule, he preſerves it, and nouriſheth his owne worke; Pſal. 16.5. there the Prophet David ſaith, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and he maintaineth my lot; he doth not only give him his lot, but he maintaines his lot: it is a compariſon taken from the children of Iſrael, when they came into the land of Canaan, it was divided to every tribe by lot; now God did not onelyonly bring them into the land, and give them their lot, but he maintained that lot, he defended them, and releeved them from the fury and rage of their adverſaries, that went about to take away that which God had beſtowed upon them; now the Pſalmiſt ſaith, The Lord is my portion, and hee maintaineth my lot; every beleeving ſoule hath a lot and portion in Chriſt, ſo much grace, and holineſſe, and ſo much aſſurance; now the Lord doth not onelyonly give this, but when you are weake and feeble, the Lord keeps your grace, and preſerves your grace which hee hath beſtowed upon you; therefore Chriſt is ſaid to be the preſerver of his Church, Iude 1. To you that are called, and ſanctified, preſerved by Ieſus Christ; Chriſt is not only the giver of grace, but he is the preſerver of his Church, and that is the meaning of that phraſe, when our Saviour had implanted grace in the heart of Peter, he did not only plant it by his Spirit, but he watered it by his prayers, that it might not wither away, I have prayed, that thy faith faile not, hee did not only give him faith, that was not enough, but he watered his faith by his prayers, that it might not wither, and dye, and decay; 1 Pet. 1.4. hence it is ſaid, that hee preſerves us by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation; and faith keeps the ſoule, and Chriſt keeps faith, faith is the hand that layes hold upon Chriſt, and Chriſt layes hold upon faith, and wee have a kingdome preſerved for us, and he preſerveth us for it, and this is the pith of that phraſe, Pſal. 1. the text ſaith, The righteous man is like the tree planted by the rivers ſide, that brings forth fruit in due ſeaſon, whoſe leafe ſhall not fade; he doth not ſay, his ſap ſhall not wither, but his leafe ſhall not wither, not onelyonly that gracious diſpoſition of heart which is wrought ſhall never decay in the Saints of God, but a zealous profeſſion ſhall never decay in concluſion; how ever a tree be nipt with the cold and froſt, yet in concluſion it will bud forth againe: ſo the ſap of grace that Chriſt workes in us, and conveyeth to us, being planted by the fountaine of the Lord Jeſus in the midſt of perſecution and fiery triall, they ſhall grow humble, and meeke, and holy in deſpight of what can befall them, for a Chriſtian is not conquered when hee loſeth his life, but when he loſeth his grace; as take a man that is led into captivitie, into Turkie, into Algeir, or the like, the aime of him that takes him, is not to take away his life, but to make him deny his colours and commander, and if hee can make him doe this, then he conquers him, but if hee dye under the hand of the tyrant, if he be more able to ſtand for his commander and countrie, than he is to drive him from it, if he can beare miſery better than hee can inflict it, then hee is not conquered, but conquers; ſo it is here, a Saint of God is never maſtered, before his patience bee maſtered, and his holineſſe cruſhed; but when a man is more able to beare miſery, than the enemy to lay miſery upon him, if his patience hold, and his courage hold, and his uprightneſſe hold, he is not conquered in this caſe, but he is a conquerer: therefore the place is excellent, Eſay 58.8. ſee how the Lord preſerves his people, hee is ſaid to be the whole army of his ſervants, (however there bee many ſtorms, yet the rivers of water make glad the people of God) the text ſaith, Thy righteouſneſſe ſhall goe before thee, and the glory of the Lord ſhall bee thy rearward; (when a man doth walke uprightly and ſincerly, wee muſt preſume, that a man is in a combat, for why doth hee ſpeake of the rearward elſe) there are two parts in a battell; firſt, the vant-gard, which is the former part of the battell; Secondly, the rear- ward, which is the hinder part of the battell; now Chriſt is both theſe, you ſhall have enemies before you in the vant-gard, and you ſhall have enemies behinde you to ſmite you in the rear-ward, now righteouſneſſe ſhall goe before thee, that is the vant-gard; and the glory of the Lord ſhall be thy rear-ward, that is, God is all about his ſervants, the vant-gard before them to ſuccour them, and the rear-ward behinde them to releeve them; ſo that he doth not onelyonly give grace, but he maintaines and preſerves that grace he gives to the ſoules of his ſervants.
The fourth part of the tenure and conveyance of grace to the faithfull ſoule is this (and I ſpeake but only in the generall) the Lord doth not onelyonly preſerve what grace hee gives, but hee quickens that grace he maintains, he drawes forth that ability hee beſtowes, hee puts life unto that ſtrength and ſuccour which hee vouchſafeth to worke in the hearts of his children; hence all thoſe places are marvellous pregnant, God giveth the will and the deed, ſo that it is not onelyonly the having, but the doing, that wee have need of from God; and Paul profeſſeth, that hee hath not onelyonly grace from Chriſt, but he lives not, but Chriſt liveth in him, if Chriſt did all in him, and this is that wee ſhall obſerve, Luke 1.74. That hee would grant us, ſaith the text, that being redeemed from the hand of our enemies, we might ſerve him without feare; take notice of two things here, Firſt, that the Saints of God are redeemed and juſtified by Chriſt, and now one would thinke a man that is juſtified, and hath Chriſt, …ght trade for himſelfe, no, but that he would grant us, that being redeemed from the hand of our enemies, wee might ſerve him without feare, it is one grant to be redeemed, and it is a new grant to ſerve him without feare; as it is a merciemercy for God to beſtow ability before wee have it, ſo it is a mercy to quicken that abilitie which hee vouchſafes, that wee may honour him by it, and he may honour himſelfe by us; therefore it is a moſt pregnant place, Coloſ. 1. laſt verſe, when Paul was there labouring what hee could, yet as though hee had nothing, as though hee did nothing, he gives all to God; for marke the manner of the ſenſe of the words, Whereunto, ſaith he, I alſo labour and ſtrive; (the word in the originall ſignifies, I ſweat at it, and take great paines) according to his working, which worketh in me mightily; Paul laboured and ſtrived; but how comes this about? his ſtriving is by the working of Chriſt, and by his working he works; as who ſhould ſay, It is grace I have any grace, it is hee aſſiſting, it is he co-operating, it is he accompanying, (I know not what to ſay) it is his worke works, and hee works mightily in them that worke and ſtrive to advance the glory of God: ſo then we have thoſe foure particulars, that in reaſon almoſt might ſatisfie any man; what you want, Chriſt hath; what is fit, Chriſt will beſtow; if you cannot keepe it, hee will preſerve it for you; if you bee ſluggiſh, hee will quicken it in you; what would you have more? one would thinke this were enough, but that nothing might be wanting, take a paſſage or two more.
Fiftly, therefore as he quickens what hee maintains, ſo hee perfects what hee quickens, hee doth not only inable us to doe what we ſhould, but he makes us make worke of it, and he brings to perfection what he beſtowes, Heb. 12.23. there the text ſpeaks of the ſpirits of juſt and perfect men, hee begins the worke, and never leaves, till hee makes the worke perfect; it is Chriſt that puts a mans weapons into his hands, it is Chriſt that teacheth him to fight with thoſe weapons, and it is Chriſt that gives him the victory in that fight; 1 Corin. 15.55. O death where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victorie? the ſting of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the law, but bleſſed be God, that hath given us victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; the weapons are Chriſts, and the fight is Chriſts, and the victory is Chriſts; he will not onelyonly bring you into the field, and put weapons into your hands, but give you the victory and all: you Saints of God that ſinke under the fierceneſſe of temptations without, and corruptions within, hee will give you grace, hee will give you weapons, and you ſhall triumph over all your enemies; therefore Epheſ. 4.13. it is ſaid, Hee will bring his body to a perfect ſtature; all the Saints of God are compared to members, now looke as it is in the body, every member doth increaſe, according to its meaſure, till it come to its full bigneſſe; ſo it is in the body of Chriſt, all the members thereof ſhall increaſe, till they come to be perfect: hath God given thee a heart to looke towards Zion? and haſt thou any intimation of his love? then though the word and meanes may faile, he will provide help and meanes, he will never leave thee, till thou art a perfect man and woman, till thou haſt attained to bee a perfect member in the body of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: there is no withered bow in this ſtock of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but as he gives grace, ſo he will bring it to perfection in its meaſure, God will never leave thee till hee hath brought thee to that perfection he hath appointed: now a man would think here were enough, but yet a little further, and then I am as farre as I can goe, my thoughts can reach no higher.
Sixtly, then when the Lord hath perfected that grace hee hath beſtowed upon us, then when a man comes to the end of his dayes, he crowns all the grace he hath perfected; it were enough, and a childes portion to give us grace, and vouchſafe us mercy, but when wee come in heaven, when he hath given us weapons, and taught us to fight, and made us conquerors, then he will crowne us, and is not this enough? but ſo it is, 2 Tim. 4.6. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, from henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of glory, and not for me only, but for all thoſe that love the appearing of his comming; he makes us worke, and he rewards us for what hee hath wrought in us; he inables us to doe the ſervice, and hee payes us our wages: in the ſecond commandement, the text ſaith, I will ſhew merciemercy to thouſands of generations, in them that love me; one would thinke now, that they which loved God deſerved mercy, no, I will ſhew mercy, what you doe, it is all from Gods mercy, if you love God, it is mercy, and if God crowne that mercy, it is love alſo; ſo Paul ſaith, The Lord ſhew mercy to Oneſiphorus, for hee releeved mee; one would thinke that this would have merited everlaſting life; no, the Lord ſhew mercy, hee hath refreſhed mee in my trouble, and done ſervice of love to mee, and glory to God, now the Lord ſhew mercy to him; ſo that the Lord gives us grace, and hee crowns that grace hee gives, hee makes us worke, and hee rewards the worke, hee gives us the victory, and he makes us triumph, and be more than conquerors; thus then we have the tenure of this conveyance: and now I may read your feofment to you, you poore Saints of God, you live beggarly and baſely here, yet this is the beſt match that ever you made in the world, you are made for ever, if you have a Saviour, it is that which will maintaine you, not onelyonly Chriſtianly, but triumphantly; you ſhall have enough here, & too much hereafter, if too much can be conceived or received; what you want Chriſt hath, you need not goe a begging to other mens doores; Secondly, you need not thinke he is churliſh and unkinde, but whatſoever you need, and is fit for you, he will give you, but you muſt not be malepart and ſawcy with the Lord Jeſus, and ſay, Why have not I this as well as others? no, you ſhall have what is fitting; Thirdly, he will maintaine what he gives; and fourthly, he will quicken what hee maintains; and fiftly, hee will perfect what hee quickens; and laſtly, he will crowne that he perfects, hee will give you an immortall crowne of glory. We have read now the feofment of a faithfull ſoule, and you ſee what you ſhall have from the hand of the Lord Jeſus, wee ſhould now come to the reaſons of the point, but that time will prevent us, and wee have had the pith of the point already, in opening the tenure of the conveyance of grace to the beleeving ſoule, we will therefore paſſe on to the uſe of the point.
Vſe. 1 Is it thus then? to us, ſaith the text, to us; who are thoſe? I pray, inquire of it; looke into the 26. verſe, You know your calling, that is, thoſe that are called, thoſe that beleeve in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; to us, thoſe are the people mentioned, thoſe are the perſons intended; therefore in the firſt place it is a matter of lamentation and complaint, which wee ſhall in a word intimate, to thoſe to whom it belongs, if all this good be appointed for all the ſervants of God, and only the ſervants of God, for the called, and none but the called, then it is a thunderbolt, able to breake the heart, and ſinke the ſoule of every unbeleeving creature under heaven, and make him ſhake at the miſery of his condition, and the evill that ſhall betide him: you that are in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bond of iniquitie, that have ſtood it out with Chriſt, and he could never prevaile with you, but you would take up your owne courſes, and hee hath come, and called, and knocked, will that proud heart never come? will that drunken wretch never bee reformed? you that are ſuch, whatever you be, I ſay, know this, and know it to your ſorrow, and trouble, and vexation of ſpirit, you are ſhut out from ſharing in, you are cut off from partaking of the riches of the grace, and the plentifull redemption of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to this day, you that are unbeleevers, I ſay, to this day you are in darkneſſe, your mindes were never inlightned, to this day the guilt and curſe of ſinne lyes upon your conſciences, and the pollution of ſinne lyes upon your ſoules and defiles them, to this day condemnation hangeth over your heads, Iohn 3.18. He that beleeves not, is condemned already, and he ſhall never ſee light, but the wrath of God abideth on him; I beſeech you obſerve it, this is that which one would thinke, ſhould cut a mans conſcience, and be a coraſive to his ſoule, whatſoever he doth, whereſoever he is, we thinke this ſhould cruſh all his delight, he that beleeves not, ſhall never ſee light; hee may ſee his gold and the profits of the world, and hee may ſee his friends, and the comforts of this life, and then hee hath his portion; all you drunken unbeleeving wretches, all you ſtubborne, prophane, malicious creatures, you have your portion, much good doe you with your ſops, you have your part, but there is no medling for you with the conſolation and redemption that is in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: the text ſaith, He is made to us; you poore Saints of God, doe not ſuffer them to ſcramble, and take the meat off the table, he was made to us, take you your portion, and God refreſh your hearts therewith, but you that are unbeleevers, have no part nor portion at all in this rich revenues and precious dowrie that God vouchſafeth to his Saints; I know what they will bee ready to ſay, but they couzen themſelves; we are haply naught, and our courſes are vile, but yet I hope there is merciemercy, and ſanctification, and redemption in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: aye, it is true, there is enough, there is rich merciemercy, that is more, and there is plentifull redemption, I tell you that too; but this is thy miſerie, thou poore creature, thou haſt no part nor ſhare therein, when a man that is hungrie ſhall ſee all dainties prepared, when a man that is almoſt ſtarved, ſhall ſee abundance of proviſion, wardrobs of clothes to cover him, and abundance of meat to refreſh him, and yet one ſtarves, and the other famiſheth; this is the greateſt miſerie of all, to ſee meat and not to eat it, to ſee clothes and not to put them on; now the Lord open your eyes, and prevaile with your hearts, there are many unbeleevers, there are a world of unbeleevers, but now take notice of it, this will be thy miſerie, becauſe thou ſhalt ſee whole treaſures of merciemercy counted out before, merciemercy for Manaſſes, and merciemercy for Paul, and merciemercy for the bloudy jaylour, and merciemercy for ſuch a rebellious ſinner, that humbled himſelfe before God, and no merciemercy for thee, there is plentifull, rich, abundant redemption in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but thou ſhalt never partake thereof; when thou ſhalt ſee Abraham, and Iſaak, and Iakob, and a companie of poore creatures goe into heaven at the day of the reſurrection, when thou ſhalt ſee a companie of poore creatures goe up to Chriſt, and receive merciemercy, and great redemption, and thou ſhalt goe without, this will bee gall and worm-wood to thy ſoule, and ſtrike thy ſoule into everlaſting deſpaire, therefore the Lord open thine eyes, that thou maiſt come in, and receive merciemercy at his Majeſties hand: now you have your ſhare, now ſtand by, and let us ſet the bread before the children, that they may take their part alſo, and be chea…ed and comforted: then you that are beleevers in the Lord, you that are called attend to your ſhare, and ſit downe and eat, and bee refreſhed, O my well-beloved receive what comes, and be happie in receiving it.
Vſe. 2 The ſecond uſe therefore is a ground of comfort, and that is the proper inference and collection from the former doctrine; is it ſo, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt conveyeth all grace to all beleevers, to all his poore ſervants from day to day? then you that have a ſhare therein, and have intereſt to all the riches of Gods goodneſſe, let this be a cordiall to cheare your drooping hearts, and ſtay your ſoules, notwithſtanding temptations, notwithſtanding perſecution, notwithſtanding oppoſition, notwithſtanding any thing that may befall you for the preſent, or any thing you may feare for the future time, cheare up your drooping ſpirits in the conſideration hereof, and be for ever comforted, for ever contented, for ever refreſhed; you have a faire portion, what would you have? what can you deſire? what would quiet you? what will content you? would the wiſedome of a Chriſt ſatisfie you? would the ſanctification of a Chriſt pleaſe you? would the redemption of a Chriſt cheare you? you complaine your hearts are hard, and your ſinnes great, and your ſelves miſerable, and many are the troubles that lie upon you: will the redemption of a Chriſt now ſatisfie you? if this will doe it, it is all yours; his wiſedome is yours, his righteouſneſſe is yours, his ſanctification is yours, his redemption is yours, all that he hath is yours, and I thinke this is ſufficient, if you know when you are well: therefore goe away cheared, goe away comforted, Chriſt is yours, therefore be fully contented. I would not have the Children of God drooping and diſmaid, becauſe haply of the policy of the world, their parts are great, and they reach deepe, and in the meane time your parts are ſmall, and your ignorance great, and your memories feeble: 1 Pet. 11. Be not thou troubled, be not thou diſcontented, becauſe of that which they have thou wanteſt: for know, thy portion is better than theirs; the wiſedome of Chriſt, is better than all the policy of the world; the ſanctification of a Chriſt, is better than all the reformation, and all the trickes of all cunning Hypocrites under Heaven; the redemption of a Chriſt, is better than all the hope and ſafetie the world can afford: this is thy part and portion, therefore be thou ſatisfied therewith: the wiſdome, ſaith Iames, that is malicious and envious, and the like, it is earthly, carnall, ſenſuall, and devilliſh; but the wiſedome that is from above, it is firſt pure, then meeke, then abundant in good workes: one drop of this wiſdome of a Chriſt, is better than all the wiſdome in the world: art thou a poore creature, and knoweſt Chriſt to bee thy Saviour, and haſt an intimation of the love of God to be thy Father, and the Spirit thy Comforter? thy knowledge is more worth, than all the knowledge of all the great Cardinals, and mightie Popes, and learned Clearks, upon the face of the earth; a dram of gold is better than a cart-load of earth, it is little, but it is precious; ſo it is here, a dram of ſpirituall wiſdome, it is golden wiſdome, it is heavenly wiſdome, it is able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation; a dram of that wiſdome, though it be little, is worth a thouſand cart-loads of that dung-hill, carnall wiſdome, that all the machivilian Politicians in the world can have or improve; therefore quiet thy ſelfe, and content thy ſoule, that it is ſufficient, that what thou wanteſt, Chriſt will ſupply unto thee, doſt thou want wiſdome? Chriſt will be thy wiſdome; doſt thou want memory? Chriſt will be thy remembrance; haſt thou a dead heart? Chriſt will inlarge thee; whatever is awanting on thy part, there is nothing awanting on Chriſts part, but he will do whatſoever is fitting for thee; therefore let nothing hinder thee from that comfort that may beare up thy heart in the greateſt triall: but I know what troubles you; the poore ſoule will ſay, Is Chriſt wiſdome to me? that is a like matter, did I but thinke that, were my judgement convinced, and my heart perſwaded of that, I were ſatisfied; What I? what ſuch a baſe creature as I am? let not that baſeneſſe that hangs upon thee, nor the meanes of thy condition that troubles thee, diſcourage thy heart, for that cannot withdraw Gods favour from thee, nor abridge thee of that favour and merciemercy, that is tendered unto thee in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, all the baſeneſſe of the place wherein thou art, and the meanes of thy condition cannot hinder thee of this favour; looke upon the text, to whom is this promiſe made? to whom doth the Apoſtle ſpeake? He is made to us; to us baſe ones, to us fooliſh ones; thou art ignorant and fooliſh, bee it ſo; thou art baſe and weake, grant that; deſpiſed in the world and made nothing of, confeſſe that, and all: nay, thou art not in thine owne account, nor in the account of the world, there is no regard had of thee, no value put upon thee in this nature; why? marke what the text ſaith, God hath choſen the fooliſh things, the weake things, the baſe things, the deſpiſed things, nay, the things that are not; to whom is Chriſt made wiſdome? to you fooles; to whom is Chriſt made ſtrength? to you weak ones; to whom is Chriſt made honour? to you baſe; to whom is Chriſt made ſanctification and redemption? to you that are not in the world: thou haſt nothing, thou canſt doe nothing, it skils not, God the Father hath appointed it unto thee, and Chriſt hath brought it; therefore be cheared herein, though thou beeſt a foole, Chriſt is able to informe thee; though thou beeſt baſe, and weak, and miſerable, Chriſt is able to ſuccour and releeve thee, and ſanctifie that ſoule of thine, therefore bee fully contented, and fully ſetled with ſtrong conſolation for ever: but you will confeſſe, it is not my baſeneſſe that hinders mee, but my corruptions that oppoſe the worke of grace in my ſoule, and that will be my bane, I know that God is able to doe what is needfull, and Chriſt is willing to doe what he is able, to thoſe that beleeve in him, and reſt upon him, but this proud heart oppoſeth the worke of his grace, and the operation of his Spirit, my minde is ſo blinde, that nothing in the world takes place, my heart is ſtill polluted, and my diſtempers ſtill hang upon mee, nay, ſometimes my ſoule is wearie of the good word of the Lord, that would pluck them from me, inſomuch that I could almoſt bee content to pluck out my heart, and will the Lord ſhew merciemercy to mee, that oppoſe merciemercy? and will the Lord make mee partaker of his redemption, that reſiſts the worke of his redemption? I anſwer, God hath appointed Chriſt for this purpoſe, and Chriſt hath undertooke this worke; therefore if God hath appointed it, and Chriſt will worke it, who can hinder it? thy ignorance cannot hinder the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; if hee will teach thee, hee will inlighten thy blinde minde, and convince that ſtubborne heart of thine; nay, all the corruptions under heaven cannot oppoſe this worke of God; hee hath appointed it, and hee hath power to pull downe a ſtout ſtomack, and bee hath power to ſanctifie a polluted heart; corruptions are many and temptations fierce but if he will redeeme, who can deſtroy? if he ſanctifie, who can pollute? if he juſtifie, who can condemne? this is the worke of a Saviour, if Chriſt will doe it, none can hinder it; if God hath appointed it, nothing can let it; but it is the worke of a Chriſt, and God hath appointed it, therefore cheare up thy heart in the conſideration hereof: you that are the Saints of God, caſt off all thoſe cavils and pretences againſt the power of Chriſt and his grace, and goe out of your ſelves, and ſee the privileges that God vouchſafes unto you, and reaſon thus with your ſelves; It is true, Lord, my heart is naught, and I have no power, my minde is blinde, and I have no wiſdome, but I know that Chriſt is made wiſdome to mee, and thou haſt appointed the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be made wiſdome and ſanctification to the ſoule of thy ſervant: though ſin pollute me, yet Chriſt can ſanctifie mee; though the guilt be great, yet the pardon of a Chriſt is greater than the guilt, and where ſinne abounds, grace abounds much more: therefore lift up your ſelves, and cheare up your hearts, and goe away comfortably, what is awanting God will give, what hee gives he will maintaine, what hee maintaines hee will quicken, what hee quickens hee will perfect, and he will crowne you, and your grace, and all in the kingdome of heaven for ever; what would you have in this kinde? nay, let mee ſpeak one thing more, Hee is the redeemer of his ſervants, what is that? why, the Scripture ſaith, the laſt enemy of all is death, and that is the aime of all the wicked, that is the worſt they can doe; now in Saint Matthew Chriſt ſaith, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it; the gates of hell, whats that? it was the faſhion among the Jewes, as our ſeſſions and aſſiſes are kept in the market place, ſo their place of meeting was at the gates, ſo that when he ſaith, The gates of hell ſhall not prevaile against it; his meaning is this, when Beelzebub, and all the Devils in hell ſhall joyne together to deſtroy the Church, all the policie of all the Devils in hell ſhall not prevaile, the worſt they can doe, is to bring them unto death, but Chriſt will bee redemption unto them; art thou in captivity? he will free thee; art thou in perſecution? he will deliver thee… nay, when thy body ſhall lye downe in the grave (though the Heathen ſaid, when they had burnt the bodies of Gods Saints, and throwne them into the water, Let us now ſee how they will riſe againe; they were deceived) thou muſt be contented, for Chriſt will redeem that duſt, and ſay to the earth, Give up, and to the ſea, Give up thy dead, deliver up the bodies of my ſervants, let their ſinews and bones come together, and body and ſoule ſhall come together, and enjoy happineſſe in heaven together for evermore: if then neither the guilt of ſinne can condemne us, nor the filth of ſinne pollute us, if neither miſery nor perſecution can hurt us, then goe away, not only comfortably, but triumphantly into perſecution and priſon, into holes and caves, and dens of the earth; Chriſt will bee all in all unto you in grace here, and in glorie hereafter, therefore let this comfort you.
Vſe. 3 In the third place, it is the uſe the holy Ghoſt here makes, Is it ſo that there is a conveyance of all grace from Chriſt to the beleever? hee doth what he doth by him, and hath what he hath from him? then it is a word of inſtruction to teach us all to lye downe in the duſt; let no man glorie in man, but let him that glories glorie in the Lord, this is the maine collection the Apoſtle inferres, God hath choſen the fooliſh and baſe things of the world, that no man might glorie in fleſh; as who ſhould ſay, it is not my parts, but Chriſt; it is not my abilities, but merciemercy; it is not what I can doe, but what Chriſt will performe: therefore if Chriſt then bee Author of all wee have or can doe, let him receive all the honour and praiſe of all we have or doe; doth the Lord worke all our workes in us and for us? then let him receive the tribute due to his Name, and take nothing to your ſelves: away with that proud heart that bars God of his honor and praiſe, and of the due which indeed belongs unto him, and ought to be performed by all his ſervants: doſt thou thinke the Lord will beſtow all his favour upon thee, and worke all for thee, and thou in the meane time pranke up thy ſelfe, and lift up thy creſt? no, I charge you, you Saints of God, as to know your owne privileges to be thankfull for them, ſo to know your owne unworthineſſe, and to lie downe in the duſt, and be abaſed for ever, and to give God the honour due unto his Name: Revel. 4.8. The foure and twentie Elders fell downe, and laid downe their crownes at the Lambes feet, and ſaid, Thou onelyonly art worthy to receive all honour, and glory, and praiſe; If wee had a thouſand crownes, never ſo much honour, and riches, and credit, and abilities, fling away all at the foot of Chriſt, let him have all the praiſe, thou art worthy Lord, we are unworthy thy aſſiſtance, wee have received thy comfort thou haſt continued, and thou art worthy of all the honour, in that thou haſt beene pleaſed to worke any worke in us, and by us, to the praiſe of thy Name. The Apoſtle was marvellous tender to meddle with any thing belonging to the Lord; as Ioſeph ſaid to his miſtreſſe in another caſe, when ſhee tempted him to folly; My maſter hath given me all he hath in his houſe, ſave thee his wife; how then ſhall I commit this wickedneſſe? This was that which wrought upon the heart of Ioſeph, and prevailed with the ſpirit of Ioſeph, being his maſter was marvellous kinde, all that hee had in his houſe was his, ſave onelyonly his wife, and that was requiſite and reaſonable… ſo it is with the ſoule of a Chriſtian, all is yours; you ſhall have wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption, but let God have the glory of it, that onelyonly he reſerves for himſelfe: My glory I will not give to another; my grace and mercy I will give to another, but my glory I will not give to another; why, give it him then, and ſay, Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name be the praiſe: When your hearts begin to thinke of ſome credit, and aime at ſome baſe ends, (as it was with Herod when the people cried out, The voyce of God, and not of man, hee tooke it to himſelfe, whereas he ſhould have rebounded it to God) hath God vouchſafed mercifully, and graciouſly to humble your ſoules, and make you ſeeke him? hath hee given you any abilitie of prayer and conference? remember when your ſoules begin to take any honour and credit to themſelves, away with it, doe not take it; Not to us Lord, not to us, but to thy Name be the glory: thou workeſt all, thou preſerveſt all, thou art the Author of all, therefore thou ſhalt have the praiſe of all; beat it backe againe, and rebound it to the Lord, from whence all help and aſſiſtance came; therefore Saint Paul was marvellous ſhie and tender in this kinde, Hath the Lord given mee all but his glorie? nay, I have Chriſt, and grace, and heaven, and happineſſe, all but his glorie; will nothing but that content me? what haughtie high minded Devils are wee? will nothing ſerve us but the crowne on Gods owne head? if you can ſeeke God, and have abilitie to performe dutie, you muſt juſtle God out of his throne, and ſet his crowne upon your head; what monſtrous pride is this? deale wiſely therefore as Ioſeph did, and as Saint Paul did, Gal. 6.14. Now God forbid, whats that? that I ſhould glorie in any thing, ſave in the croſſe of Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I to the world; let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſedome, let not the ſtrong man glory in his ſtrength, let not the Miniſter glory in his preaching, nor the people in their hearing, God forbid wee ſhould glory in any thing but in Chriſt; as who ſhould ſay, the Lord keep us from it, and preſerve us from it, Chriſt onelyonly reſerves the Crowne to himſelfe, hee will doe any thing for us, worke any thing in us, and by us, and this is all the glory a Chriſtian hath, that Chriſt will uſe him, and doe any ſervice by him; all the glory of the Lanthorne, is the candle: ſo let us glory in nothing but Chriſt, and walke ſo humbly, that a man may ſee nothing but Chriſt; let your actions manifeſt it, and let your ſpeeches declare it, and hold out Chriſt and mercy; grace hath done this, and mercy hath done this; that men may ſee not us, but Chriſt in us, and glorifie him for that which is done by us: It was a marvellous ſweet diſpoſition of ſpirit, which the holy man David had, when the Lord had inlarged him, and the people to give liberally toward the Temple, 1 Chron. 29.14. it is a fine paſſage, he lifts up God, and lieth downe himſelfe; as when a man lifts another over a wall, hee that is lifted up is ſeene, but hee that lifts him doth not appeare: So David lies downe upon his honours, and kingdomes, and parts, and abilities, he appeared not, but the Lord appeared: marke what the Text ſaith, Thine is honour, and power, and praiſe for ever: when the Lord inlarged his heart, and the hearts of his people, to come freely, and give liberally, he gives God the praiſe; But who am I, Lord, and what is this people, that thou ſhouldſt give us hearts to offer ſo freely? as who ſhould ſay, thou art a bleſſed God, and I a poore worme; thou art a glorious God, and wee are baſe creatures; all is thine, and all is from thee; as who ſhould ſay, the gift is thine, and the action thine, the ability thine, and the worke thine, and what are we that thou ſhouldſt worke by us, and honour thy ſelfe in us, and give us hearts to doe thee ſervice?
The heart is thine, and the worke is thine, and all is thine; when therefore thy heart findes any ſuccour from God, any aſſiſtance in the performance of duty, if it begins to lift up it ſelfe and ſay, aye this is ſomewhat, then checke thy ſoule with that of the Apoſtle, what haſt thou, which thou haſt not received? what, bragge of a borrowed ſuit? who did this? let him that did it receive all the praiſe: doſt thou doe any thing? Chriſt inables thee; doſt thou increaſe in any holy ſervice? Chriſt inlargeth thee: thou haſt all from free mercy, thou haſt nothing, but that thou haſt received: therefore I conclude with that of the Prophet Zacharie 4 8, 9. ſpeaking there of the building of the Temple, the Text ſaith, the ſame hand of Zorobabel that laid the firſt ſtone, ſhall lay the laſt ſtone: hee laid the firſt ſtone and began it, and hee laid the laſt ſtone and perfected it, and all the people cried grace; not Zorobabel, but grace: ſo it ought to bee with us, as it was in the materiall Temple; ſo in the Spirituall Temple, as in the outward: ſo in the inward building of the ſoule, from the beginning of humiliation, to the end of ſalvation; from the beginning of converſion, to the end of glorification; from the loweſt ſtone of the one, to the top ſtone of the other: the ſame hand that layeth the firſt ſtone, layeth the laſt ſtone, it is all from Chriſt; therefore when Chriſt gives what is wanting, and maintaines what hee gives, and quickens what hee maintaines, and perfects what hee quickens, let all ſay, Not I, not man, not meanes, but Chriſt hath done all this; hee that is the Author of all, let him have the praiſe of all: in Chriſt, from Chriſt, through Chriſt, and by Chriſt, is the phraſe of the Apoſtle: Romans 11.30. To him bee praiſe for evermore: in Chriſt, hee is the fountaine; from Chriſt, hee is the Author; through Chriſt, hee is the meanes, and by Chriſt, hee is the aſſiſter; it is all from Chriſt: therefore let us give all to him, that wee may bee no more in our ſelves, but that hee may bee all in all in us, and doe all by us, that he may doe all in all unto us, when wee ſhall bee no more.